


A Distant Vision

by melted_stars



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Suki (Avatar), Bisexual Suki (Avatar), F/F, Flirting, Hahn (Avatar) is a Jerk, Lesbian Yue (Avatar), Northern Water Tribe, POV Suki (Avatar), Strangers to Lovers, Suki denies being romantic but then she goes and spouts poetry about Yue, Suki learning about Water Tribe culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28263114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melted_stars/pseuds/melted_stars
Summary: She turned, and was greeted with the sight of Sokka running towards her, with Aang and Katara close behind. There was also another girl with them, who looked to be around Suki’s age. She had startlingly white hair, and was perhaps the most beautiful person Suki had ever seen.Suki joins the Gaang in the North Pole and meets a certain spirit-blessed princess.
Relationships: Suki & The Gaang (Avatar), Suki/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	1. Bitter Cold and Warm Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic (besides the half-finished ones languishing in my Drive), so feedback is appreciated! The idea for this fic has been living in my mind rent-free for a while, so I thought "f*ck it, I'm going to write it down". 
> 
> Also, thank you to the friend who had to listen to me rambling on about this fic while at work.

Suki had never been so cold before in her life. Blame it on the Kyoshi Island winters that rarely dipped below freezing, or blame it on her inadequate clothing and her refusal to admit a weakness, but the fact remained: she _would_ be joining the ranks of the ice statues adorning the Northern Water Tribe’s impressive architecture if she didn’t warm up soon.

Suki had initially declined Aang, Sokka, and Katara’s offer to join them on their quest to find a waterbending teacher for Aang and Katara in the North Pole in favor of rebuilding her village after the Fire Nation’s attack. But with Kyoshi Island mostly rebuilt and in the capable hands of her warriors, she had decided to charter a boat to the North Pole. She hoped to find the Avatar and his friends there and offer them her help in their quest to end the Hundred Year War. Besides, she couldn’t leave Katara to be the only logical one of the group.

Now, within the walls of the great city of Agna Qel’a (and not without undergoing rigorous questioning to ensure she wasn’t a Fire Nation spy), Suki could also admit to herself the other reason for her journey. As much as she loved her home, in all her seventeen years of life, she had never set foot off Kyoshi Island. As a young girl, she would stare out at the great expanse of the sea and wonder what lay beyond it. What was the rest of the Earth Kingdom like? Did the people of the Water Tribes really build their homes out of ice and snow? And sometimes (and not without some guilt): What did the Fire Nation look like? Was there really a city in a volcano?

One of her questions was finally being answered as the sun sparkled off of the delicately wrought bridges spanning the many canals and the roofs of the shops and houses lining them. All were made out of ice that made even the humblest shop look exquisite. Still, even as she admired the beauty of the Northern Water Tribe’s capital city, Suki could not entirely forget the cold that was slowly creeping its way into her bones. Therefore, it came as a relief when the man guiding the gondola holding her and her few belongings neared the landing at the base of the stairs that lead to the Royal Palace.

* * *

After deciding that Suki was not, in fact, a Fire Nation spy, the guard who had interrogated her had ordered her to be taken to the Royal Palace, where she could be formally received and (hopefully) find Aang, Sokka, and Katara. Although she had found it odd that she needed to be formally welcomed, she was glad she had been escorted directly to the palace rather than made to find her way through a city whose size she could only now appreciate after looking down at it from the elevated tier on which the Royal Palace was situated. Glittering blue canals crisscrossed the main city, and here and there, larger buildings broke through the ranks to showcase towering spires and sculptures of warriors, benders and non-benders alike.

Even as she was admiring the view, she could hear the crunch of footsteps approaching her. She turned, and was greeted with the sight of Sokka running towards her, with Aang and Katara close behind. There was also another girl with them, who looked to be around Suki’s age. She had startlingly white hair, and was perhaps the most beautiful person Suki had ever seen. She was distracted from admiring her further with the approach of an enthusiastic Sokka.

“Suki!” shouted Sokka as he skidded to a stop in front of her. He raised his arms as if to hug her, but made no further move until Suki threw her arms around him to give him a crushing hug.

Aang, who was physically incapable of resisting the chance to hug someone, threw himself at Sokka and Suki, with Katara joining soon after. Suki couldn’t help but notice that the girl with the white hair hung back a few paces with a small smile on her face.

“Suki, we’re so glad to see you! But what are you doing here?” asked Katara when they finally broke their group hug.

“Well, once Kyoshi Island was mostly rebuilt, I thought I would join you guys and help you end the War. I wouldn’t be a true Kyoshi Warrior if I turned down the chance to finally bring peace to the world. Besides, every time I saw Kyoshi’s statue, I couldn’t help but be reminded that there was an Avatar out there that could use my help.”

“That’s awesome! We’re super glad to see you! Katara and I are being trained by Master Pakku. At first, Pakku wouldn’t let Katara train because he thought that female waterbenders should only learn healing, but then Katara kicked his butt and he changed his mind. It was amazing!” Aang gushed.

At Aang’s speech a blush rose in Katara’s cheeks and she mumbled “Well, I didn’t technically win, he trapped me in some icicles at the end...”

“Still, it was amazing!” Aang insisted.

“And you did give him more of a fight than he’s probably had in his thousand years on this earth,” Sokka added.

“I’m glad to hear you’re overthrowing the patriarchy as well as saving the world,” Suki said and winked at Sokka, laughing as he turned red in embarrassment. Suki had relished teaching Sokka that women could be warriors too. Frankly, she was a bit upset that she had missed seeing Katara take a bigoted old man down a notch. “Also, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” she said as she gestured at the girl with the white hair who was standing patiently nearby.

“Oh, duh, of course!” Sokka exclaimed. He ushered the girl over, saying “This is Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe. Yue, meet Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Suki,” Yue said. Suki had never been one to wax romantic, but spirits be damned if Yue’s voice wasn’t like the ringing of the windchimes that decorated some of the homes of Kyoshi Island.

“And you as well, Princess Yue,” Suki replied. “Oh, please call me Yue. Princess Yue is much too formal for everyday use,” she said, wrinkling her nose. _Spirits. Even her nose wrinkling is cute_ Suki thought.

“Yue it is then,” Suki said, smiling. Was it her imagination or was the princess blushing? She couldn’t be sure, but if it was true, then maybe the attraction she felt towards Yue wasn’t completely one-sided.

Deciding not to dwell on it, lest _she_ start to blush, she changed the subject. “So are you guys staying here?” she asked Aang, Sokka, and Katara as she gestured at the grand palace behind them.

“Oh, yeah, we are! Yue’s dad, the chief, was nice enough to let us stay in the palace. Let me tell you, it's great to sleep in an actual bed rather than on the ground again,” Sokka said.

“They even built a stable for Appa!” Aang interjected.

“And there’s a special training courtyard in the palace in case you want to practice your forms, Suki,” Katara added.

“I’m staying in the palace then?” Suki asked.

“Yes, if you would like. We don’t get many visitors from outside of the tribe, but the ones we do are always honored guests and are welcome to stay in the palace,” Yue answered. “And we can provide you with some clothing more suited to the climate up here. I can show you to a tailor if you’d like.”

Suki hadn’t thought anyone had noticed her shivering. She had tried to restrain it so as not to alarm her friends with how much it was affecting her. She shot a grateful smile at Yue. “Yes, that would be great.”

“You’ll meet Chief Arnook at dinner tonight, but in the meantime we can show you to your room and catch up,” Katara said.

“SO much happened. We traveled to the Fire Temple, Katara stole a waterbending scroll from some pirates…”

“Jeez, Aang, let Suki catch her breath before filling her in on everything,” Sokka said.

"You just don’t want Suki to know that you got captured by a giant panda spirit,” Katara smirked.

Sokka spluttered unintelligibly.

“Is that Fire Nation Prince still following you?” Suki asked to spare Sokka. Not that she wouldn’t revisit _that_ particular story at a later time.

“Ugh, yes,” Katara groaned. Sokka just nodded solemnly while Aang looked faintly guilty. _Hmm. Wonder what that’s about._ Before she could ponder it any further, she was distracted by Yue signaling for them to follow her as she led them to Suki’s chambers.

As they traveled through the palace, Suki tried not to openly gape as she took in the splendor around her. Kyoshi Island was certainly not poor, but compared to the Northern Water Tribe’s palace… Well, it couldn’t really compare. Lush furs dotted the walls, with small waterfalls interspersed between them. The waterfalls fed into channels of water that ran along either side of the corridors. Small niches in the walls displayed the occasional small statue depicting an animal native to the North.

However, her admiration of the palace must have been less subtle than Suki had thought, for a glance at Yue revealed a fond smile on the princess’s face as she caught Suki staring at the miniature canals of the palace. Suki, though embarrassed at being caught, was not embarrassed enough to not smile back at Yue.

Suki was _so_ glad that she had decided to come to the North Pole.


	2. Hard Truths and Soft Hands

After regaling her with tales of a probably senial Earth King, pirates, Freedom Fighters, and frozen wood frogs, Sokka, Katara, and Aang left Suki to rest before they all met again for the evening meal. Much to Suki’s disappointment, Yue had been summoned away after showing Suki to her room. Still, it was nice to catch up with her friends. Compared to their exploits, the rebuilding of Kyoshi Island must have seemed dull, but Sokka, Katara, and Aang had still insisted on hearing about it. Sokka had even asked after the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors. 

Suki laid back on the low bed piled with furs, staring at the ceiling as she reflected on all that she had seen and heard since coming to the Northern Water Tribe. It was (mostly) unintentional that her thoughts began to wander towards Princess Yue. Before fighting Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation and meeting Sokka and Katara, the children of the Southern Water Tribe’s chief, Suki had never given much thought to the royalty of the other nations. Yet Princess Yue seemed so far to be the most regal of the bunch (sorry Katara). The way she held herself spoke of someone who knew that they would be in the spotlight from a young age. But despite this, there was no arrogance or vanity in Yue’s manner, only grace and kindness. Her white hair was unusual as well. From what Suki had seen of the Northern Water Tribe, most people, with the exception of those whose hair had gone grey or white with age, had hair that ranged from dark brown to black. Yue’s hair though, was the striking pure white of freshly fallen snow or the gleam of the full moon reflected in a calm pool of water…

Suki must have been more tired by her journey than she realized because she was jerked out of sleep by a sharp knock on the door. 

“Just a minute!” she called. She hurriedly rummaged through her bag, hoping to find something that would give her more protection from the ever-present cold. Her search only turned up her traditional Kyoshi Warrior uniform, with her shield, metal fans, and katana tucked neatly beneath it. _Did you think the North Pole wasn’t going to be cold, or what?_ Suki mentally berated herself. Giving up, Suki turned to open the door, only to be greeted by one very annoyed Water Tribe official. 

“I am Assistant Advisor Panuk.” It looked like it pained him to include the “Assistant” to his title. “I am here to escort you to the dining hall, where you will be introduced to Chief Arnook as a guest of the Northern Water Tribe,” Panuk declared.

Suki only nodded, deciding it was best not to engage the man in small talk he evidently did not want to have. Suki hated small talk anyway. If you had something to say, why not come right out and say it? 

After five minutes of tense silence, interrupted only by the sounds of their footsteps and the gentle splashing of the waterfalls, Panuk announced that they had reached the hall. He pushed open the doors, allowing Suki to enter.

The first thing Suki saw as she entered the room was a formidable looking man seated directly opposite the doors at the large curving table in the center of the room, who Suki guessed to be Chief Arnook. A woman who was most likely his wife was seated to his right, with Princess Yue to his left. Next to Yue was a conceited looking teenage boy, who was trying to engage the Princess in conversation. Suki couldn’t even hear what he was saying, but she was instantly annoyed by him on Yue’s behalf. Also at the table were Sokka, Katara, and Aang, along with several high-ranking tribesmen. 

Sokka raised his hand in an eager wave, but he quickly put it down when Chief Arnook rose to speak. “Greetings, Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. We are pleased to welcome you to Agna Qel’a, the jewel of the Northern Water Tribe.”

Suki bowed her head briefly before responding. “And I am grateful that you have welcomed me to your city, Chief Arnook.” 

“Please take a seat,” Chief Arnook said, gesturing at the open seat between Sokka and Katara. Once she was seated, the meal began in earnest. Suki learned that the woman next to Chief Arnook, whose name was Amka, was indeed his wife. Suki couldn’t help but notice that neither Chief Arnook nor Amka shared their daughter’s brilliant white hair. She was also briefly introduced to the men who made up the tribe’s council. She was surprised to see that there were no women on the council.

Back on Kyoshi Island, Suki had been raised to believe that a woman’s opinion was just as important as a man’s. Of course, Suki knew that not every place was as egalitarian as Kyoshi, but to see the complete absence of women on the Northern Water Tribe’s council was still jarring. And what did that mean for Yue? As far as she knew, Princess Yue was Chief Arnook’s only child. Did that mean she would inherit the chiefdom? Or did her gender bar her from assuming that title?

Suki was interrupted from her thoughts by Chief Arnook addressing her. “I understand that you are here to join the Avatar in his quest to master all four elements?”

“Yes, sir. I was unable to join him when we first met, but now I want to do everything in my power to help end the War,” Suki replied.

“I take it you will be teaching the Avatar earthbending?” the Chief asked. 

Suki almost laughed. Almost. 

“No, I wouldn’t be much help in that. I’m actually not an earthbender.”

“Ah, I thought the Kyoshi Warriors, being from the Earth Kingdom, would be a group of earthbenders.” 

“No, the Kyoshi Warriors are trained in non-bending combat. In fact, none of my warriors are benders.” Suki couldn’t help the pride in her voice as she said this. She had nothing against those who could wield the elements, but she was confident that her warriors could match even the most skilled benders. 

“My apologies,” Chief Arnook replied. “As a non-bending warrior myself, I was remiss to assume that you must be earthbenders to be warriors.” 

With that somewhat awkward exchange over, Suki could now marvel at the array of dishes before her, most of which she had never seen before. There was a delicious smelling tureen of what seemed to be chunks of squid or octopus floating in a broth with seaweed noodles, which Katara informed her was a traditional Northern Water Tribe dish by the name of tentacle soup. There was also seaweed stew, a selection of steamed dumplings and pickled fish, and vegetable broth for Aang. Sokka even got her to try something called sea prune stew, which seemed to be something of an acquired taste. 

After the sea prune stew (and surreptitiously downing an entire glass of water to get rid of the lingering taste), Suki looked across the table at Yue and the boy who was talking with her. Or rather, talking _at_ her. 

“Who’s that next to Yue?” Suki whispered to Sokka. 

“Ugh, that’s Hahn, and unfortunately, he’s betrothed to Yue,” Sokka groaned. 

Suki almost spit out her dumpling. 

“I hate to say this about any Water Tribe member, but he’s one of the worst people I’ve ever met,” Sokka continued, but Suki barely heard what he was saying. _Yue’s betrothed? I know it's normal for royalty, but then why am I still surprised?_ Suki glanced up at Yue from where she had been staring intently at her stew. She looked… not unhappy, but there was still something melancholic in her eyes. Suddenly, those eyes met Suki’s from across the table. 

Suki couldn’t help the faint blush that rose in her cheeks as Yue gave her a soft smile.

* * *

The next day brought with it the promise of visiting a tailor with Yue and hopefully procuring clothes more suited to the cold climate of the North Pole. 

Suki had been up for a couple of hours, stretching and flowing through her fighting stances. Just as she was finishing up a particularly involved sequence, a knock came at the door. Steeling herself for another appearance of the ill-tempered Assistant Advisor Panuk, she flung open the door, only to be greeted, not by the pinched face of Panuk, but by the luminous smile of Princess Yue.

“Good morning, Suki. Are you ready to go?” Yue asked. 

“Yeah, of course. I just didn’t think it would be you coming to get me; I thought it would be Assistant Advisor Panuk again,” Suki said as they began walking down the corridor.

“Ah, well, Panuk has other duties to tend to today. Besides, I wanted to come get you. We have a shopping date, remember?” Yue said, smiling at her.

Suki told herself that the redness in her face was from having just finished her fighting exercises, and not Yue saying that their excursion today was a date.

When she stepped out of the palace, Suki was momentarily blinded by the bright sun glancing off of the ice. Once her eyes finally adjusted, Suki couldn’t help but gasp at the sight of every inch of Agna Qel’a glittering under the morning sun. 

“It’s so beautiful,” Suki whispered. 

“It is,” Yue agreed. “But I have to admit, sometimes I wish I could see the parts of the world that aren’t covered in snow and ice.” 

“You know, this is the first time I’ve left Kyoshi Island. When I was younger, I used to wonder what the other nations looked like. For the longest time, I was convinced that the people of the Fire Nation lived in houses made of fire.”

Yue laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound Suki had ever heard. “Come on,” Yue said. “We’ll have to take a gondola to get to Ahnah’s shop, but it’s not too far.”

“Ahnah?”

“Oh, she’s the tailor I’m taking you to. She makes most of the garments that I wear,” Yue explained as they descended the stairs towards the gondola landing. 

“Well, judging by how beautiful you look, I have the utmost confidence in her skills,” Suki teased. 

The blush that overtook the princess’s face at her comment was truly a sight to see, and Suki was slightly taken aback that she had caused it. After some moments of awkward, but not unpleasant, silence, they reached the gondola awaiting them. Suki hopped in first with the agility that came with years of combat training, turning back to offer her hand to help Yue in. Yue’s hand was soft, but Suki could feel calluses where a pen would rest against one’s hand. 

After they were both seated, the waterbender at the stern of the gondola began a series of flowing movements, propelling the boat forward. The journey didn’t take long, and Suki spent most of it listening to Yue as she pointed out certain shops or the meaning behind a particular carving. 

Sooner than she would have liked (Suki could have listened to Yue talk all day), the gondola pulled up alongside a small dock. A short pathway led from the landing to a street where many people seemed to be shopping. Suki had intended to leave the boat first so that she could assist Yue again, but before she could act, the princess was leaping out gracefully and turning to offer her hand to Suki. Seeing that her plan had been foiled, Suki could do nothing else but accept Yue’s proffered hand.

As Suki followed Yue through the bustling thoroughfare, she observed how men and women would stop and bow their heads or smile fondly when they saw Princess Yue, and how all of the children smiled and waved happily at Yue, who never failed to return the favor. Evidently, the princess was well-loved by the people of the Northern Water Tribe. And how could she not be? She was _Yue_. 

After a short walk, Yue approached a small shop marked only with a carving of a needle and thread. As they entered the shop, a small bell chimed, and an older woman appeared from a back room. She had silver hair and some lines around her eyes, but she stood tall and proud in an intricately embroidered parka. 

“Ah, my dear Princess Yue. How are you this morning? And who is this you’ve brought me?” the woman asked. 

“Ahnah, this is Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and a friend of the Avatar,” Yue said. “She needs some clothing for her stay here, and I was hoping you could help.”

“Of course I can help. What do you take me for?” Suki was a bit shocked at how the tailor was addressing a member of the royal family, but Yue seemed accustomed to Ahnah’s brusqueness. “In fact, you came at the perfect time. The recent arrival of the Avatar inspired me to investigate what past Avatars have worn when visiting the North Pole. I was lucky enough to find some old sketches of designs made for Avatar Kyoshi. Would that work for you?” she said, turning to Suki.

“I would be honored to wear something inspired by Avatar Kyoshi, but I don’t think I have enough money with me to pay for something like that,” Suki replied. 

“Oh, nonsense. You are a guest in Agna Qel’a, and I’m itching to experiment with something new anyway,” Ahnah insisted. “Don’t you dare say no.” 

Suki glanced at Yue, who smiled encouragingly at her. “Well, if you insist…”

“Good choice,” Yue whispered to her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone win an argument with Ahnah.” Suki tried not to shiver as she felt Yue’s breath on her cheek.

* * *

After getting Suki’s measurements and giving her some clothes to wear while she waited for her custom attire, Ahnah sent them on their way. Suki was now bundled in a simple blue parka trimmed with white fur and grey fur-lined pants. She also had a pair of slightly too big boots and mittens adorned with a simple pattern of wolves howling at the moon. 

As they walked back to the gondola landing, Suki casually let her mittened hand brush against Yue’s. Yue immediately tensed at the contact, moving her hand away from Suki’s. Concerned that she had overstepped and made Yue uncomfortable, Suki chanced a glance at her. The princess’s face was slightly too pink to be blamed on the cold, but she didn’t look upset or mad, in fact, she only looked surprised. Thinking it was best to just move past the awkward moment, Suki looked ahead again, cursing herself for being so forward. 

Therefore, Suki was more than a little surprised when she felt Yue suddenly take her hand. Suki turned to look at Yue so quickly that it was a miracle that she didn’t sprain something. Yue was looking at her with a slightly embarrassed smile, but Suki just grinned back and held Yue’s hand more firmly in her own as they continued down the path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All names of Northern Water Tribe members are traditional Inuit names, excepting Arnook, Hahn, and Yue, who have kept the names given to them in the show. The food mentioned in this chapter is accurate to what is seen or mentioned in the ATLA/LOK universe. 
> 
> I hope you liked it!


	3. Duties and Desires

Over the past couple of weeks, Suki had made it a habit to begin each day by sparring with Sokka. Or rather, soundly beating him in every match he challenged her to (though she had to admit he was getting better as the days went on). On this particular morning, two days before the full moon, she had just disarmed Sokka, who lay panting on the floor of the training room, and flopped down beside him, when he suddenly spoke.

“Are you and Yue… dating?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” Suki said truthfully. She and Yue had become closer over the past weeks, but she wasn’t sure if their relationship was just a really close friendship or more than that.

“Because I can tell you really like her. And she seems to like you too,” Sokka continued. Suki was silent for a moment before she spoke.

“Okay, you’re right, I do like her. A lot. And I’m pretty sure she likes me too. We spend a lot of time together, but I wouldn’t say we’re dating. Besides she has a fiancé, remember? That Hahn guy,” Suki wrinkled her nose at the mention of the aforementioned Hahn. She hadn’t had many interactions with the man (boy, really), but the ones she’d had had left her with a less than favorable impression.

“Ugh, don’t even get me started,” Sokka groaned. “Yue is way too good for him. In fact, when we first arrived, I had a bit of a crush on her.”

“A bit?” Suki raised her eyebrow. From what she knew of him, Sokka was never subtle in his emotions.

“Okay, well maybe more than a bit,” Sokka coughed, looking embarrassed. “But later when I approached her about going on a date, she told me she was flattered, but she wasn’t attracted to guys.”

“Then why is she getting married to one?” Suki asked. Her stomach suddenly felt like it was filled with angry bumble flies. “Do her parents know?”

“I don’t know,” Sokka grimaced. “The Northern Water Tribe has always been of the opinion that it’s best to keep those kinds of relationships concealed. And Yue’s sense of duty to her people is so great that she may have chosen to keep her own feelings hidden to prevent any controversy.”

Suki was silent. She understood responsibility and duty, she was the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors after all. But she couldn’t imagine having to conceal a part of herself to fulfill that duty. But then again, she’d never had too. When she had declared at the age of ten that she liked both boys and girls, her parents had accepted it without question, even telling her that Avatar Kyoshi had been the same way.

“I think I’m going to go wash up,” Suki said. _And then talk to Yue_ was left unsaid.

“Good plan. I don’t want to hear any more of Katara’s comments about me smelling like a buffalo yak,” Sokka said, and Suki was grateful that he didn’t push the subject further.

She tucked her fans into her belt and picked up her katana before leaving the training room and heading through the palace to her rooms, her mind swirling with questions all the while. 

* * *

After washing the grime of training off, Suki put on the specially made garments that had arrived about a week after her visit with Yue to Ahnah’s shop. The clothes had arrived wrapped in brown animal hide that had concealed the works of art that lay beneath. And works of art they were. The boots were made of supple turtle seal hide and lined with koalaotter fur, with her mittens made of the same material but stitched with a pattern of golden fans. The pants were dyed an earthy green, and lined with a soft white fur that Suki couldn’t identify. But it was the parka that Ahnah had made for her that was the true masterpiece. It was reminiscent of the armored kimono that Avatar Kyoshi had worn in her time as the Avatar. The parka itself emulated the pleated skirts and was made of polar leopard hide dyed an emerald green. There was also another, lighter layer in the form of a moss green wraparound jacket. Both pieces were secured by a belt that was delicately stitched with golden swirls and the metal fans characteristic of the Kyoshi Warriors. Suki tucked her real fans into the belt and left her chambers to search for Yue.

There weren’t many places the princess could be, as she wasn’t permitted to leave the palace grounds for the main city unless someone was accompanying her. Suki’s presence had helped with that somewhat, but she couldn’t help thinking of what Yue’s life was like before she had the excuse of showing guests around the city to leave the palace regularly. Therefore, any time Yue did not have to attend to any of her royal duties, she and Suki would leave to explore Agna Qel’a, often joined by Sokka, Katara, and Aang if they weren’t busy with hunting or warrior training (in Sokka’s case) or waterbending practice (in Katara and Aang’s).

When all five of them were together, Yue occasionally joined in on the friendly banter, but she never completely relaxed her role as the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe, always aware of those who may be observing. Yet when it was just the two of them, Suki was able to meet the Yue that lay beneath the regal exterior. She learned that Yue loved spending time in the royal library learning about the other nations from the outdated scrolls kept there (with the Hundred Years War making scholarly collaboration between the Nations virtually impossible, Yue’s knowledge was about as current as Aang’s however). She learned that Yue’s favorite snack was the fried fish and seaweed that was sold at one of the many stalls in the city’s large market. (“Not a very regal choice of food, I know,” Yue had laughed when she had first taken Suki there. “But it’s just SO good.”)

Once, she had found Yue at one of the library’s few tables, intensely focused as she wrote something down on a scroll. Suki had asked what she was doing, and learned that Yue also spent her time in the library coming up with policy proposals for the betterment of the Northern Water Tribe. When asked if she ever shared them with her father and the council, Yue had only turned red and said they wouldn’t take what she had to say seriously. Suki had dropped the subject after that.

Now, as she descended the stairs that led to the underground (under-ice?) library, Suki thought about how she should approach Yue about her arranged marriage to a person she wasn’t even attracted to. _Hey, Yue! What’s up with you pretending to be someone you’re not?_ Okay, so maybe a bit too blunt. She would have to improvise then, which luckily, was something Suki was very good at (at least when it came to fighting, she desperately hoped it also applied to conversation).

Yue was sitting in her customary spot at a table in the center of the room when Suki entered the library. Along all four walls were shelves packed with scrolls roughly organized by the subject matter they contained There were no windows, but there were multiple blubber lamps that gave the room a soft, inviting glow.

Yue looked up as Suki approached to take a seat at the table, giving her a radiant smile. “Good morning. How was training with Sokka?” Yue asked as she moved aside some of the scrolls surrounding her to clear a space for Suki.

“It went well. He’s getting better, but I can still beat him,” Suki said with a smile. She hesitated (which was something, because she never hesitated), her smile slipping, uncertain if she should bring up what she and Sokka had been discussing so suddenly after arriving. _Well, if I don’t do it now, I may never do it_ Suki reasoned.

“We were talking about you, actually. Sokka said that he had a crush on you, but when he asked you out, you said you weren’t attracted to guys. I hope it’s okay that he told me that,” Suki said, suddenly worrying that it _wasn’t_ okay.

“Oh.” Yue looked taken aback, and Suki regretted that she ever brought it up. She was about to apologize when Yue spoke again, looking down at the table rather than at Suki. “It’s okay that he told you. I trust him, and I trust you. But… it’s just surprising that someone else knows. To be honest, I didn’t even intend to tell Sokka, it just... happened. I was mortified after I realized what I had said to him, but he was totally understanding and supportive. After that… it felt like some of the weight on my chest had been lifted. I used to tell myself that it was better if no one knew, but it was such a relief to finally tell someone.”

Yue finally looked back up at her, and Suki realized that there were tears in the other girl’s eyes. Suki couldn’t find the right words to say, so instead she just leaned forward and hugged her, holding Yue tight as if she would fly away if she let go. Tentatively, Yue returned the embrace.

“You don’t… resent me for not telling you, do you?” Yue whispered from where her face was pressed into Suki’s hair.

Suki pulled back to look Yue in the eyes, but didn’t let go of her. “No, of course not. I could never resent you, especially for something like this. Who you love is who you love. I’m just sorry that you felt you couldn’t tell anyone.”

Suki didn’t know how long they remained wrapped in each other’s arms, she was only aware of Yue's soft breathing. Of the way that her hair smelled faintly of lavender. Of how it felt so _right_ to be holding her. Suki had never liked the tales that told of having another half, someone to complete you. She believed that every person was already complete, all by themselves. But that didn’t mean that there wasn’t someone out there who could complement you, who could make you a better person. Someone who encouraged you and challenged you. Someone who you could talk to without ever running out of conversation. And as she held Yue, and Yue held her, Suki realized that Yue might be that person for her.

Eventually, they broke away from each other, and Suki couldn’t help but let slip the other question that had been on her mind. “What about Hahn?”

Yue looked away from her as she answered. “I can’t abandon my duty to my tribe. And if that duty is to marry Hahn, then I’ll do it.”

“But you don’t even like him,” Suki pointed out. Yue only sighed and continued to not meet Suki’s eyes. “Why can’t you just tell your parents that you don’t want to marry him? I’m sure if they knew it would make you happier, they would understand.”

“I can’t,” Yue said simply. She seemed as if she wanted to say more, so Suki kept quiet, holding back the retorts that were on the tip of her tongue. “When I was born I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they’re born, but I was born as if I were asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could, but they told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the Spirit Oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. Ever since then, I’ve felt that the moon spirit gave me life so that I could go on to serve my tribe to the best of my abilities. I can’t fail Tui, my tribe, or my parents by backing down from my duty.”

“But what about your happiness? You could never be happy with Hahn; you can’t tell me that you would,” Suki demanded. How could Yue believe that the only reason the moon spirit had given her life was so that she could hand it over for others to control? Couldn’t it just be because she was _Yue_? Yue, who was kind and gentle, who always smiled and waved back at the children who greeted her? Who sat for hours writing down ideas for improving the Northern Water Tribe? Who was the only person who ever laughed at Sokka’s jokes? Who shared Suki’s insatiable desire to learn about the world outside of her homeland?

“I wouldn’t be happy, but I would be content, knowing that it was what my parents and the council wanted,” Yue finally said, somehow still calm in the face of Suki’s anger on her behalf.

“But what about what _you_ want?” Suki asked desperately. “Isn’t that just as important as what your parents or the council wants? Your opinion matters just as much as theirs does, more even.”

“I know what I want,” Yue said, finally looking at Suki. “But... it doesn’t matter. I have to do what's best for the whole of the Northern Water Tribe,” she repeated. Suki felt her heart sink, but she looked Yue in the eyes as she addressed her.

“I’m sorry then. Because I know what I want. And I would have been willing to fight for it too.” With that, Suki left the library, her heart heavy and filled with equal parts sadness and resentment towards the circumstances that had made Yue believe that she couldn’t pursue her own desires.

* * *

Suki had decided a walk around the city would be the best thing after her conversation with Yue. She would breathe in the crisp, cold air, and hopefully be able to clear her head. Unfortunately, nothing could be easy today.

As she was striding across the courtyard at a pace that made anyone in her path quickly move out of the way, Suki ran into the one person that was cocky enough to _not_ move and who was really the last person she wanted to see today. Trust Hahn to be so full of himself as to not understand that when an angry woman comes charging at you, you should probably move.

“Hey, Suki. How’ve you been?” Hahn smirked. Suki had a feeling that Hahn didn’t really care what her answer to the question was, but she figured she should at least try to be civil to Yue’s betrothed, no matter how much he didn’t deserve the title.

“I’ve been better,” she gritted out.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time with Yue lately. Trying to get in good with the royal family? I get it. Let me tell you, I’ve courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest and she comes with the most perks. She’s nice and everything, but the points I’ll gain with the chief aren’t bad either.”

Suki normally had a pretty high level of self-control, as it was an essential quality for any great warrior, but the combination of Yue’s self-sacrificing tendencies barring her from true happiness and Hahn viewing the princess as merely a tool to help him climb the political ranks was enough to snap that control. So could she really be blamed for what she did? True, looking back, was it wise to punch the smug smile right off Yue's fiancé’s face? Probably not, but _spirits_ had it felt good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, the moon's a lesbian.
> 
> Some dialogue is taken directly from the episodes "The Siege of the North: Part 1" (when Hahn is talking to Suki about Yue) and "The Siege of the North: Part 2" (when Yue is explaining how her life was saved by the moon spirit). 
> 
> I struggled with how to express how Yue's sense of duty affected her decisions in this chapter, so I hope it makes sense. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. The Moon and Her Stars

Suki hadn’t talked to Yue since their conversation in the library. She had seen her, of course: at meals or as they passed one another in the corridor, their gazes glancing off each other like swords locked in a delicate dance, never hitting their target. It had been only two days, but _spirits_ did Suki miss the person who she had come to consider one of her best friends. Suki had first realized how much she enjoyed Yue’s company when, during her first week in the North Pole, the ache of homesickness would creep into her heart, and the princess would be there to ease it with her intelligent conversation and brilliant smiles. Even after the bouts of homesickness had mostly retreated, only reappearing during those nights when Suki did not fall asleep immediately after collapsing into bed, she and Yue had continued to grow close.

Some of the distance and awkwardness between her and Yue no doubt had to do with Suki punching the other’s fiancé as well. Because Hahn had refused to admit why Suki had punched him, and Suki was not keen to test how her word would hold up against an honored member of the tribe, they had gotten off with a warning from Arnook to keep the sparring to the training grounds, for spirits’ sake. That didn’t mean that Suki didn’t shoot the occasional venomous glare at Hahn whenever they crossed paths. Still, punching Hahn hadn’t done much to alleviate Suki’s anger at Yue’s fate. She could still feel the painful mix of righteous anger, sadness, and helplessness simmering in her chest. But it was the helplessness that bothered Suki the most. As a warrior, and further, as a leader, she was expected to always have a plan. But Suki had no idea how to go about convincing Yue that she deserved happiness too. At least, no ideas that would not end in her becoming wanted by the Northern Water Tribe for kidnapping their beloved princess.

All of these thoughts and more had been racing through Suki’s mind constantly for the past two days, her only respite coming from the daily training she did to keep in fighting form and the few hours of uneasy sleep she managed to snag. It was after her mid-morning session of tessenjutsu exercises that she ran into Sokka while heading back to her chambers.

“Suki! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” he panted.

“What is it?” she asked, worried. Although it wasn’t unlike Sokka to suddenly want to see his friends (and run through a palace to do so), it was his tight expression that instantly put Suki on edge. “Has something happened to Yue?”

Sokka looked at her curiously before answering. “No, Yue is fine. But some fishermen spotted what looks to be the entire Fire Nation Navy heading our way. So, yeah, not good news. Chief Arnook has called a war meeting, That’s why I was looking for you.”

“He wants me to attend the meeting?” She was skeptical, and not without good reason. First, she was an outsider. Second, from what she had seen of the Northern Water Tribe, they didn’t seem inclined to involve women in matters of war.

“You are the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. Chief Arnook isn’t stupid enough to forget that, even if you are a girl,” Sokka said with a teasing smile.

Suki raised her eyebrows and gave him an unimpressed stare. “You’re lucky you already learned your lesson. Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure how you didn't learn it earlier, what with Katara being your sister.”

Sokka made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “We can discuss my amazing personal growth another time. We really need to get to that meeting. I don’t think Arnook will look kindly on us being late.”

“Of course,” Suki said, once again slipping into the role of the serious and focused leader of the Kyoshi Warriors as they started towards the main hall. 

* * *

Suki sank with a sigh onto her bed. The war meeting had been long, full of detailed strategies and tactical information for benders and non-benders alike. The bulk of the Northern Water Tribes defenses would be stationed near the outer wall of Agna Q’ela, while smaller forces would be deployed to patrol the city itself. Suki, meanwhile, had been assigned to protect the women and children who would be sheltering in the palace. It was an honor to be entrusted with this task, though Suki doubted she would be seeing much action. The Fire Nation probably wouldn’t even breach the walls, especially with the full moon tonight.

That was something that was bothering Suki. Shouldn’t the Fire Nation, after one hundred years of fighting the Water Tribes, know that a waterbender’s power was at its full strength when the full moon was in the sky? Either they were so arrogant as to believe they could win, or they had some secret weapon or plan that would make the Northern Water Tribe’s advantage insignificant. Nevertheless, Suki planned to be especially alert tonight. Suki desperately hoped it was the former; she didn’t want to see the magnificent Agna Q’ela fall to the pitiless Fire Nation.

After a couple more stolen minutes of rest, she got up to prepare herself for the upcoming battle. Even if she wouldn’t be facing any Fire Nation soldiers tonight, Suki still planned to don her full Kyoshi Warrior attire. After all, the best soldiers were the one who prepared for any possibility, no matter how far-fetched.

She only had fifteen minutes before she had to report to the main entrance of the palace, where she would be helping organize the women and children who would be staying in the palace for the duration of the battle, but the Kyoshi Warriors were trained to be in full battle dress in under five minutes so Suki wasn’t worried about being late.

Reaching into her bag, she brought out her armored kimono. It wasn’t made for the climate of the Northern Water Tribe, but it would allow her more movement than the clothes Ahnah had made her. Next came her katana and armored fans: the katana would be worn in a scabbard on her left side, and the fans tucked into her belt on her right. Suki then pulled a small pouch from her bag, smiling to herself. She opened it to reveal the makeup that would mark her as a Kyoshi Warrior, and with practiced strokes, quickly applied it. Finally, to complete her get-up, was the metal headdress that had been passed down through the female line of her family for generations. Suki reverently unwrapped it from its protective cloth and placed it on her head, the familiar weight reminding her of the responsibility she held as a Kyoshi Warrior.

Now suitability attired, Suki left her chambers for the entrance hall. On the way, she noticed that the corridors seemed busier than usual. There was a purposeful energy in the air, but it was not without a slight tinge of fear. The Northern Water Tribe knew the capabilities of the Fire Nation Navy; it had all but decimated their Southern counterparts with its brutal campaigns.

After a short walk, she entered the hall, her eyes immediately drawn to Yue, who was surrounded by young children. Suki felt her mouth quirk into an involuntary smile that probably made her look like a lovestruck fool. But Suki wasn’t in love with Yue… _Was she?_ Spirits, now was not the time to have a crisis over her feelings about the Water Tribe princess, especially as an important-looking warrior came striding towards her.

“Suki?” the man asked when he reached her.

“That’s me,” she said. “What can I do for you?”

“My name is Nukilik. I’m in charge of the warriors stationed here at the palace. Most of them are guarding the perimeter, but I need someone to help direct people to the main hall. Can you do that?”

“Yes, of course,” Suki answered, giving him a nod. She headed towards the doors, making an effort to avoid Yue. She couldn’t be distracted today. 

* * *

After an hour or so, the crowds of women and children that had arrived to take shelter at the palace had thinned as everyone made their way to the main hall. Suki was left standing at the door to help any stragglers and act as a lookout. The sun was setting, casting a brilliant glow over the city, but the Fire Nation had yet to attack. The hulking black ships sat just out of range in the bay like predators waiting for the right moment to strike. Grey snow fell on the city, a subtle reminder that even this great stronghold wasn’t safe from the Fire Nation.

Suki wasn’t sure why they hadn’t attacked yet. Were they waiting until morning? Was their early arrival simply an intimidation tactic before the real battle tomorrow? Whatever it was, Suki was sure whatever the Fire Nation had planned couldn’t be good. Still, she was confident in the skills of the Northern Water Tribe warriors.

She straightened as she heard footsteps approach.

“Hey, Suki,” Sokka greeted.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “I would have expected you to be right in the thick of it,” she said, gesturing to where the bulk of the Water Tribe forces were gathered near the open space before the outer wall.

“Well… it may have to do with getting into a fight with the chief’s future son-in-law,” Sokka said as he rubbed the back of his head, having the decency to look somewhat ashamed.

“Sokka! Why did you do that?”

“The same reason that you punched him for. He was being an arrogant jerk.”

“Still, couldn’t you have ignored him?”

Sokka shot her a look. “You’re one to talk.”

“And here I was trying to encourage you to take the moral high ground,” Suki sighed. “Okay, I’ll admit it: his face is very punchable, and he doesn’t help his case when he opens his mouth.”

“I know right!” Sokka guffawed.

“Have you seen Yue around?” Sokka was still laughing, but he sobered up immediately when Suki asked her question.

“Last I knew, she was with Aang and Katara. They were going to the Spirit Oasis. Something about connecting with the spirits,” Sokka replied.

Suki hummed thoughtfully. “Hey,” she said suddenly. “Do you want to keep watch with me out here? I could use some company.”

“Yeah, of course! I’ve spent the last hour telling stories to some kids. They would _not_ let me leave, everytime it was ‘Just one more Sokka, pleeeease’, and how could I resist? I only managed to get away because I said I had to go fight Agni.”

“The sun spirit?” Suki laughed. They continued to talk for a bit, but eventually slipped into a comfortable silence as they watched the light of the sun disappear, the silvery light of the full moon taking its place.

The relative peace was broken when they saw Princess Yue running towards them.

“Suki! Sokka!” she called, out of breath. “We need your help!”

“What is it?” Sokka asked, closely followed by a “What’s happening?” from Suki.

“I can explain on the way there. Right now, we need to get to the Spirit Oasis,” Yue said, already hurrying towards a path that led into the ice cliffs behind the palace.

“Aang, Katara, and I went to the Spirit Oasis in the hopes that Aang could journey to the Spirit World and seek guidance from Tui and La. When he finally entered the Spirit World, Prince Zuko appeared. He battled Katara, but the full moon hadn’t risen yet, so she wasn’t at full strength. He knocked her out and then took Aang’s body. That’s when I came to get help,” Yue finished.

“Is Katara okay?” Sokka’s voice was full of concern and borderline panic at the fact that his sister might be hurt.

“I think she’s okay, but I’m not sure. She got hit pretty hard,” Sokka noticeably quickened his pace, Yue’s answer obviously not easing his worries.

Suki turned to Yue while Sokka walked ahead of them. “Are _you_ okay?” This was her first time talking to Yue since that day in the library, and she was uncertain if Yue would _want_ to talk to her.

“I’m fine. A little shaken up, but fine,” Yue answered. “Thank you for asking,” she added with a soft smile.

Yue’s smile reassured Suki, and she decided to go ahead with the speech she had planned after she had cooled off in her room following the incident with Hahn. “Yue, I wanted to apologize—”

Suki was cut off by Sokka shouting Katara’s name ahead of them. It seemed they had reached the Oasis. Yue was looking at her curiously, but Suki only said “I think we’ve arrived.”

“Oh, yes, of course. We should go help Katara,” Yue responded, hurrying after Sokka.

Suki stepped into the Spirit Oasis and immediately felt the temperature rise. The Spirit Oasis consisted of a pool of water and a small island that sat at the center. A seemingly endless waterfall fed into the pool. There were two simple wooden bridges that led to the island, designed so as not to detract from the beauty of the surroundings. The island itself was so at odds with the rest of the North Pole that Suki had to assure herself that this wasn’t a hallucination. It was lush and green and looked as if it belonged in an Earth Kingdom jungle.

As Suki crossed one of the bridges, she saw that there was another, smaller pond at the center of the island, where two black and white koi fish circled each other in an eternal dance. But Suki couldn’t afford to observe the natural beauty of the place for long. Sokka knelt by Katara, who was slowly sitting up, rubbing her head, while Yue stood off to the side, giving the siblings space. Suki went to kneel down next to Katara and across from Sokka.

“May I?” Suki asked, gesturing to Katara. Sokka nodded mutely. Suki turned to Katara, who was starting to look around with a panicked expression on her face.

“Katara, look at me. I’ll answer all your questions shortly, but first I need to check that you don’t have a concussion,” Suki said in the voice she used to issue commands to her warriors. Katara nodded slowly, looking at her with wide eyes.

“Where are we?”

“The Spirit Oasis, in the North Pole.”

“Repeat these words after me: tree, boy, fish.” Katara did so.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“Aang was in the Spirit World, but his body was still here. Zuko showed up. He was going to take Aang, so I fought him, but he knocked me out.”

“Good. Now tell me the words I had you say earlier,” Suki commanded.

“Tree, boy, and fish,” Katara dutifully recited.

“Well, the good news is that you don’t have a concussion, but the bad news is that we have to go after Zuko. He took Aang’s body,” Suki stated.

“He WHAT!?” Katara yelled. “We have to go after him right now! We can’t let him take Aang!”

“Don’t worry, we will,” Sokka said. “We wanted to make sure you were okay first. Do you have the bison whistle? I’m pretty sure Zuko has no idea where he’s going, so we have a decent chance at finding him before he gets too far.”

Katara pulled the bison whistle out of her pocket and promptly blew through it. It made no sound, but a few seconds later Appa came flying down to land on the island. Katara and Sokka climbed onto him, with Suki close behind. Only Yue hesitated, and Suki turned around to give the other girl a hand onto the flying bison. Once they were all settled, Sokka at the reins, and the rest of them in the saddle, they flew off in the direction that Yue had seen Zuko go.

* * *

It was when Katara saw a flash of blue light streaking through the sky that they finally found Aang and Zuko. After Katara took out Zuko with waterbending supercharged by the full moon (which by now had fully risen), and Aang convinced the rest of them that they shouldn’t leave the firebender behind, they headed back to the Spirit Oasis at Aang’s insistence that the moon and ocean spirits were in trouble.

They were about halfway there when a red shadow seemed to pass across the moon, casting an eerie glow over the land. Yue winced and clutched at her head, as did Aang.

“Are you alright?” Suki asked, putting a gentle hand on Yue’s arm.

“I feel faint,” Yue answered, her voice weak.

“I feel it too,” Aang added. “I think the moon spirit is in danger.” He flicked the reins, urging Appa to go faster. Sokka and Katara were looking at Yue in concern.

After some hesitation, Sokka addressed Yue. “What’s wrong?”

Yue only sighed. “I owe the moon spirit my life. When I was born…”

Suki’s attention drifted as Yue told Sokka, Katara, and Aang about her blessing. She couldn’t bear to hear the story again; it only reminded her that Yue was bound to her tribe by something stronger than what Suki could give her.

As they approached Agna Q’ela, a scene of destruction greeted them. The Fire Nation had breached the walls and without much effort it appeared. The soldiers advanced through the city behind what looked to be fleeing Water Tribe warriors.

“Why aren’t they fighting back?” Sokka asked.

Katara suddenly took out her water pouch and tried to bend some water. Nothing happened.

“Sokka, I can’t… I can’t waterbend. It’s not working,” Katara cried.

“Whatever they did to the moon must have messed with waterbending too. That’s why the warriors are fleeing; they can’t fight back,” Suki realized with growing horror.

Aang guided Appa down to the Spirit Oasis, and Suki saw an imposing man standing at the edge of the pond. Several Fire Nation soldiers stood behind him.

From his attire, Suki guessed that he was the commander responsible for this attack. The sack he was holding aloft surely contained the captured moon spirit, especially as there was only one fish—the black one—in the pond, frantically swimming around in uneven circles.

They touched down silently, the man too lost in proclaiming that he would be forever known as “Zhao, the Moon-Slayer” to notice their arrival. It was only when Momo jumped on his head that he realized that he had company. Suki suppressed a shudder as his gaze narrowed on them. Even from across the island, Suki could see the cruelty in his eyes.

Sokka, Katara, and Aang were already on the ground, readying to attack. Before she joined them, Suki turned to Yue with a whispered “Stay here” and gave the princess a featherlight kiss on the cheek before leaping from Appa’s saddle. She didn’t see the flush that spread across Yue’s face or the hand she brought to her face to delicately touch the place where Suki had kissed her.

Both sides slipped into fighting stances, but before they could move, Zhao suddenly straightened and aimed his fist at the struggling sack he held in his other hand.

“Zhao, don’t!” Aang called, dropping his staff and putting his hands up in surrender.

“It’s my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribes too,” Zhao growled.

“Destroying the moon will hurt more than just the Water Tribes. It will hurt everyone, including you,” Aang implored. “Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world.”

“He’s right, Zhao,” another voice called. It belonged to a robed man who stood on one of the wooden bridges.

“General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery,” Zhao spat at the man.

“I’m no traitor. The Fire Nation needs the moon, too. We all depend on the balance.” Zhao continued to look unmoved until General Iroh took on a more threatening tone. “Whatever you do to that spirit, I’ll unleash it on you, tenfold. Let it go, now!”

Zhao remained frozen for a few more seconds before suddenly crouching down to release the moon spirit from its sackcloth prison. The red tinge immediately began to fade, but not before Suki saw Zhao’s face contort in rage. It was at that moment that Suki realized Zhao would not give up so easily. Everything slowed as she pulled a fan from her belt and sent it whipping through the air towards him. But even her quick response was not fast enough to stop Zhao as he lashed out at the pond with a whip of fire.

As quickly as it had brightened, the moon dimmed until it simply… wasn’t there. Seconds passed before a cry of pain and loss tore through the shocked silence, spurring everything into motion again. Distantly, Suki was aware that her fan had missed her target, who had fled the Oasis, and that General Iroh was fighting the remaining soldiers. But her only focus now was on Yue, whose anguish had sliced open the night.

She ran back to Appa and was just in time to catch Yue as she fell from the saddle. Suki sank to the ground, cradling Yue’s head in her lap and brushing the hair from her face. She could sense that the others were gathering around the pond, where Aang was standing, eyes aglow, and she spared a glance when glowing water began to swirl into the shape of a giant spirit with the Avatar at its heart, but beyond that, Suki had no thoughts for anyone but Yue.

It felt like an eternity before Yue’s eyes flickered open and met Suki’s. “Yue,” Suki breathed.

“Suki,” Yue whispered, a faint smile appearing on her face. “I didn’t say it earlier, but when you appeared in the entrance hall, all I could think was how beautiful and fierce you looked.”

Suki smiled. “When I first met you, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. But you’re more than beautiful. You’re kind and smart and I would gather every star in the sky if it meant I could be with you.”

Yue only smiled, a tear running down her cheek. “Suki? Could you do something for me?”

“Anything.”

“Could you bring me to the pond? Where the moon spirit is?”

“Of course,” Suki said. She gently picked up Yue, one arm across her back and the other under her knees, and brought her to where General Iroh was placing the koi fish back in the pond. Yue slowly sat up, reaching her hand towards the spirit, but before she touched it, she turned back to look at Suki, who was standing behind her.

“I’m sorry,” she said simply, before turning her back to Suki and placing her hand on the koi. A sudden glow lit the Oasis, illuminating the shocked faces of Sokka and Katara and General Iroh’s somber expression.

“What is she doing?” Suki cried, looking around frantically at the others.

It was General Iroh who answered. “I believe she is giving back what she has been given.”

Suki was about to ask just _what_ Yue was giving back, even though she already knew the answer, when Yue sank back down to the ground, her eyes shut. Overhead, the moon regained its glow, even as the white slowly faded from Yue’s hair, leaving it a dark brown. The world had regained balance, but Suki felt like hers had just disappeared beneath her feet. She slowly sank down next to Yue, wrapping her arms around the other girl. She could feel tears on her cheeks, and silent sobs shook her body, but she couldn’t bring herself to care that she was breaking down in front of Sokka and Katara. Yue was _gone_. Brilliant, wonderful Yue, who would do anything for her tribe, even sacrifice her own life. And Yue hadn’t even done it just for her tribe, she had done it for the whole world. A world that she would never get to explore now.

Suki had always thought she had a pretty firm view of who she was, but meeting Yue had changed that. Yue had challenged her, had brought out the best and worst in her, had taught her so many things that she thought she already knew. Simply put, Yue had made Suki a better person. So what was Suki to do now, without Yue? What were the stars without the moon?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry :)
> 
> Tessenjutsu is the martial art of the Japanese war fan, in case anyone was wondering. 
> 
> If you didn't catch on, I shrunk the Siege of the North down to one night instead of two days. Some of the dialogue (when the Gaang and Iroh confront Admiral Zhao) comes directly from the episode "The Siege of the North: Part 2." 
> 
> I don't know when the next chapter will be up, finals are this week for me, so I won't have much time to write. I'll try not to leave you hanging for long though.


	5. Endings and Beginnings

Suki’s eyes flew open.

The first thing she saw were gentle beams of light slanting across an icy ceiling. Calming the panic that was rising in her chest, Suki took in her surroundings. She was lying on a low cot in a room devoid of any ornamentation, save for a small table on which a shallow dish of water sat. A small, high-set window let in sunlight. Although she was alone in the room, the soft rumble of activity could be heard just beyond the door.

The events after Yue gave back her blessing were disjointed segments in Suki’s memory. She remembered Chief Arnook arriving in the Spirit Oasis, battle worn and frantic for his daughter. Healers arriving to take away Yue, and Suki standing off to the side, shock and bone deep exhaustion raging through her body. Sokka’s distressed expression as the world tilted around her and everything faded to black.

And now she was in a room all by herself, with no news of Yue or anyone else for that matter. Just as she was sitting up, a harried-looking woman entered the room. Her agitation melted away into a benevolent smile as soon as she saw Suki.

“I’m glad to see that you’re awake,” the woman said. “I’m Healer Tanaraq. Your friend Sokka brought you here after you passed out.”

Suki was faintly embarrassed at the fact that she had fainted, but she had more pressing concerns to attend to. Like where Yue was.

“Do you know when I can leave?” Suki demanded.

“Well, since you seem much better already, I suppose I can let you go soon. But I want to look over you once more before then,” Tanaraq said, seemingly unaffected by Suki’s impatience. So Suki suffered through an examination that seemed overly thorough for something so minor as fainting, but perhaps that was only Suki’s restlessness talking. In any case, she was glad when Tanaraq eventually cleared her to leave.

Until she stepped out of the healing room, Suki had not been sure where exactly she was. But a cursory look around confirmed that she was in the infirmary wing of the palace, a place she had had little cause to visit beyond her first tour with Yue. _Yue… Where would they have moved her?_ Even in her mind, Suki couldn’t bear to refer to Yue as simply a body, a thing to be moved from place to place that held no trace of the person she used to be. She wouldn’t believe Yue was dead until she saw it for herself; her shock last night had eclipsed any rational thoughts on the subject.

Unsure where to start, Suki approached a nearby servant. Even after a night’s rest, her mind still felt as if it was moving through sludge after the events of last night. She also couldn’t help if she directed herself towards the servant with more aggression than was strictly necessary.

“Do you know where Princess Yue is?” Suki asked, trying to keep her voice calm. Evidently, she wasn’t as successful as she had hoped because the servant looked downright terrified. Only now did she remember that she probably still had the remnants of her battle makeup on. Suki didn’t even want to begin to imagine the state she was in. The servant pointed wordlessly in the direction where the royal family had their chambers.

Suki ran through the palace with a single-minded determination, hope and despair warring in her chest. But even as she was rushing to Yue’s chambers, a part of her wanted to turn back, leave and forget everything that had happened. Every step was one step closer to learning the truth, and if there was thing Suki knew for certain, it was that the truth could never be taken back. Could she handle the possibility that Yue had given up her life for the moon spirit? And if not, what then? Suki was just one person; could she even hope to compete with Yue’s dedication to her family and tribe? Would Yue want to have anything to do with Suki? After all, Suki had all but confessed her undying love for Yue last night, and Suki was almost certain Yue felt the same way, but would Yue risk the controversy that would come with a relationship?

The guards posted outside Yue’s room didn’t seem inclined to let any non-family visitor pass, but one look at Suki’s face changed their minds quickly enough. Suki slammed through the double doors once the guards stepped aside.

The sight she was met with made Suki’s whole being sigh in relief. Yue lay on her bed, her head propped up by some pillows, her chest rising and falling gently as she slept. It was this rising and falling that Suki focused on. It was tangible, visible proof that Yue was alive. Thank the spirits, thank Tui and La (especially Tui), Yue was alive.

Once the initial rush of shock and exhilaration had passed (though it was strange to see Yue’s white hair replaced by a brown so dark it was almost black), Suki saw that Chief Arnook and his wife, Amka, were in the room as well, seated at Yue’s bedside. They both wore matching startled expressions at the unexpected intrusion. Chief Arnook broke the silence.

“Suki… I’m surprised to see you here.”

“I’m sorry if I disturbed you, but I had to know if Yue was alright or not. How… how is she?” Suki couldn’t help the note of worry that crept into her voice. Just because Yue was alive didn’t mean she was necessarily alright. Giving part of your life force away couldn’t be easy on the body or the spirit. This time it was Amka who spoke up.

“The healer said her main affliction is exhaustion. She might feel weak for a time, but we’re lucky she’s stronger now than when she was a baby. Otherwise, giving away her blessing may have… may have been too much,” Amka finished, only barely holding back her tears. At this, Suki remembered that she was probably intruding on something personal, and she moved to turn around and leave the room.

“Wait,” Amka called. “You’re welcome to leave, if you’d like. But I know that you and Yue are very close, and I’m sure she would want you here.”

Well, when she put it that way…

“Of course I’ll stay,” Suki answered quickly, striding forward to take a seat on the other side of Yue’s bed.

* * *

Suki spent most of the next three days in Yue’s chambers, either sitting by the princess’s bedside or pacing next to it. Suki, who couldn’t stand sitting still for long periods of time without something to do, would read aloud to Yue the scrolls belonging to the princess’s personal library. She also told Yue more about her childhood and her rise to leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. Suki wasn’t sure if Yue could hear her, but the reading was more for Suki’s benefit than anything else. Occasionally Sokka, Katara, and Aang would join her—Sokka more often than the others—but they were all busy planning their next step in Aang’s quest to master all four elements. Aang and Katara had also been recruited to help rebuild the parts of the city that the Fire Nation forces had partially or completely destroyed. When she wasn’t with Yue, she either continued to train in the palace courtyard or helped with the planning. It was during these times that Chief Arnook and Amka visited their daughter. Suki was glad their visitations didn’t overlap. It was awkward enough meeting their hesitant smiles with her own when they crossed paths, knowing they were unaware of her feelings for their daughter, nevermind sitting for hours in the same room as them.

It was during the afternoon of the third day, when Suki was recounting a particularly embarrassing tale of her first swimming lesson, that she heard a quiet snort. Suki had been staring off in the middle-distance as she talked, but at the disruption her gaze shot towards Yue. Warm, brown eyes met hers, and Suki smiled broadly.

“You’re awake,” Suki said, unable to utter anything besides the obvious.

“I am,” Yue smiled, her voice soft and slightly raspy from disuse. She wore a weary expression and had a pale tinge to her brown skin, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“How are you feeling? Do you want me to get your parents? Or a healer? Is there anything I can get you?” Suki questioned, her lack of words replaced with a barrage of questions that seemed to slip out of Suki’s mouth without any help from her. Suki blushed at her outburst.

For her part, Yue managed to stifle her laughter to answer Suki’s questions seriously. “I’m feeling okay, still tired though. You don’t need to send for my parents or a healer yet. I want to talk to you first. Oh, but before that, could you get me a glass of water? My throat is rather dry after all this time sleeping.”

Suki simply nodded and got up to get some water from the pitcher sitting on a nearby table, her thoughts racing. _Why does Yue want to talk to me? Oh spirits, is it about what I said on the night of the battle?_

Suki returned with the glass of water, trying to keep her expression neutral.

“Thank you.”

Suki waited until Yue had finished the glass of water, and she had gotten up to fill it again before asking, “What did you want to talk with me about?”

“It’s about what you said the other night.” Yue blushed. “Or what I thought you were trying to say.” Yue took a deep breath, looking down at her lap and muttering something under her breath that sounded like “Spirits, this is harder than I thought.” Finally, Yue looked up, addressing Suki directly. “Am I right in thinking that you have feelings for me?”

For a split second, Suki considered denying it, but then again, why should she? She wasn’t going to hide her feelings. Even if Yue didn’t feel the same way, Suki still wanted her to know the truth.

“Yes, I do have feelings for you. Everything I said that night was true.” There, she had said it. All that remained was to hear what Yue would say in response to her confession.

“Then I want you to know that I feel the same way about you. You’re like nobody I’ve ever met before. You’re tough and not afraid to speak your mind. But you’re also compassionate, and I can tell you care deeply about Sokka, Katara, and Aang.”

Suki was struck speechless, which perhaps was a good thing because Yue continued to speak.

“When I was giving up my blessing to save Tui I realized that, if I survived, I didn’t want to live the rest of my life pretending to be someone I wasn’t. Even before that moment, I had been thinking about what you said to me in the library. All my life, I thought my duty to my tribe was the most important thing in life. But you made me realize that my happiness is just as important. I can only help the Northern Water Tribe if I help myself too. If I was living a lie, what kind of leader would that make me? Certainly not the one I could be if I was true to myself.” Yue took another deep breath. “I’m going to tell my parents why I can’t marry Hahn. And that I want to travel with you, Sokka, Katara, and Aang.” She smiled. “I can’t learn everything from a scroll, after all. What do you think?”

Suki, as much as she wanted to fling herself at Yue, held back, conscious of the other girl’s weakened state. Instead, she took Yue’s hand, looking directly into her eyes as she said, “I think it’s a great idea. Although, I must admit my reasons for thinking so are mostly selfish.” Suki grinned. “You can’t imagine how happy I am to hear that you feel the same way. Just to be clear though, does this mean that you want to be my girlfriend?”

Yue laughed. “There’s nothing I would like more.”

After that, they spent some time idly chatting, Suki catching Yue up with everything she had missed while she was asleep. Suki didn’t let go of Yue’s hand, and Yue didn’t make any move to pull it away. An hour or so passed before Yue mentioned that she should probably speak to her parents, and would Suki tell a servant to fetch them? Suki promised to visit her again soon, and left to find Sokka, Katara, and Aang, but not before kissing Yue’s hand, a gesture that brought a deep blush to the princess’s face.

* * *

When Suki found Sokka, Katara, and Aang, she practically had to restrain Sokka from running directly to see Yue, saying that she was visiting with her parents right now and Sokka could visit her after that. Even as she was sitting with her friends, Suki’s mind kept wandering from their conversation to another conversation that was happening in a different part of the palace. Suki desperately hoped that it was going well, but she wouldn’t know until she saw Yue (or her parents, Suki supposed) again.

It had been about two hours since she had left Yue’s side when Suki was summoned by a servant who said that the Chief and his wife wished to speak to her. The servant led her to the great hall, opening the doors for her and stepping aside, leaving Suki to her fate.

“Suki, please come sit,” Arnook called from where he and Amka were sitting at the large round table in the center of the hall. “We were hoping to speak with you.” Suki took a seat across from them at the table, feeling much like she was about to receive some sort of reprimand. Despite her nervousness, Suki sat tall and proud in her chair, refusing to feel ashamed.

“We have spoken with our daughter about her relationship with you as well as her wish to travel with the Avatar and his companions. I must tell the truth, I was shocked at first, but I will be the first to admit that perhaps I was wrong in keeping Yue so sheltered. But she is all I could wish for in a daughter and promises to be an excellent leader when the time comes. As for her relationship with you and her desire to end her betrothal to Hahn, I would be remiss if I stood in the way of my daughter’s happiness. I won’t pretend she will not face difficulties because of her choice, but she is strong and if anyone can challenge our more backwards traditions, it is her,” Chief Arnook finished.

Amka spoke next. “Our daughter is our greatest treasure. I will not lie and say that I am not afraid to send her out into the world, but I am less fearful than I would be because I know you will be by her side. She has been happier than I have ever seen her since you arrived, and though I do not know you very well, I hope the future holds many opportunities to rectify this.”

Suki had not been expecting such a positive response. “Thank you,” she said simply. “I promise you that my affection for your daughter is not some fleeting emotion. She is unlike anyone I have ever met,” Suki stated, echoing Yue's words from earlier while meeting Arnook and Amka's gazes.

“Thank you for speaking with us, Suki,” Arnook said, a rare smile accompanying his words.

“Yes, thank you, Suki,” Amka added. Suki got up to leave the room, casting one last glance at Arnook and Amka, relieved that they had proved to be accepting of their daughter. Suki did not want to be on the bad side of the leaders of the Northern Water Tribe for helping Yue escape to travel the world (but make no mistake, Suki would still have done it if their reaction had called for it, no matter the consequences).

* * *

It was about a week before a healer cleared Yue for air bison travel. Suki had spent the time before they departed mostly talking with Yue and helping her decide what to pack. (Yue had tried to argue that it was absolutely necessary to take the entirety of her personal library with her, but Suki had managed to talk her down to a few choice scrolls.

“I can’t fight like the rest of you, so my learning is my greatest strength. Therefore, bringing the scrolls is a must,” Yue declared. She was sitting on her bed while Suki browsed shelves packed with the contents of the princess's personal library.

“Not _all_ of them. Appa will hardly be able to get off the ground if we bring the entire Northern Water Tribe library with us,” Suki had argued back. “Besides, who said you can’t learn to defend yourself? I’m a more than capable teacher. Just ask Sokka.” Suki waggled her eyebrows.

Yue just laughed and said, “I look forward to it.” She paused and sighed. “I suppose I don’t need to bring my entire library. It’s just… I’ve never had to prepare for a journey before, and it’s hard to resist just bringing everything.”

“Now _that_ would definitely ground Appa,” Suki said.)

At least once a day, their whole group would gather in Yue’s chambers. Ostensibly to discuss their next steps (Finding an earthbending master, the how still unclear), but the conversation invariably devolved into Aang telling unbelievable stories, or Sokka and Katara bickering over different accounts of shared childhood adventures, while Suki and Yue snuggled close together and shared the occasional fond glance that earned them the required “oogie” from Sokka.

Now, Suki was securing her and Yue’s packs to Appa’s saddle as they prepared to leave. Yue was still saying a private goodbye to her parents, but would be arriving with them shortly. After that, they would be ready to go. Chief Arnook, Amka, and the surly waterbending master (Pakku?) that Katara had challenged were seeing them off.

Suki wore a light parka that could be easily stored away when they reached warmer climates. She had opted to leave the clothing Ahnah had made her behind, safe in a trunk in what was now her own room in the palace. Beautiful as they were, the garments were heavy, too heavy to justify bringing them with her. Suki hopped down from Appa as she heard footsteps approach.

Yue walked through the archway with her parents close behind. The princess was wearing a light parka similar to Suki’s and dark grey pants. Instead of her hair in its usual loop and braids, it was separated into two braids that framed her face before draping down her back. It was a simpler look than what Yue usually wore, but it suited her just as well.

Sokka, Katara, and Aang were already on Appa, but Suki (after greeting Chief Arnook and Amka and waiting until they were distracted by saying goodbye to Sokka, Katara, and Aang) gestured for Yue to follow her behind a nearby pillar. The princess looked at her curiously, but followed Suki nonetheless. It was only when Yue was inches away from her that Suki’s courage almost failed her. By now, Yue had lost her quizzical expression. With a small, teasing smile on her face, she looked as if she knew the exact reason why Suki had wanted the relative privacy the pillar offered for their meeting.

Suki’s gaze flitted from Yue’s eyes to her lips and back again, her eyes asking the question for her. Still, she began to say “Can I ki—” before she was cut off by Yue bringing her hand up to the back of Suki’s head and drawing her into a kiss. One of Suki’s hands instinctively moved to cup Yue’s face while the other rested gently on her hip. The kiss didn’t last for long, but within it there was a promise of many more kisses to come. A promise to see all of each other’s faults and strengths and not shy away. A promise to help each other through any challenge, no matter how difficult, that lay ahead.

When they finally emerged from behind the pillar, Chief Arnook and Amka were sharing knowing looks while Katara physically restrained Sokka from shouting something embarrassing at the top of his lungs. Suki and Yue wore matching blushes, perhaps aware that their brief disappearance hadn’t gone entirely unnoticed by the others. Still, they strode hand in hand towards Appa and their friends, ready to face the world, and their future, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think I was going to let Yue DIE, did you? I would NEVER.
> 
> Ta-da! This marks the end of "A Distant Vision." I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> I have some ideas bouncing around in my head for future fics, but I have no solid plan as of right now. However, I am planning on participating in Winter ATLA Femslash Week, so some one-shots may be heading your way in early February!


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